Variety store owner Yogesh Tandon said he "just reacted in the moment" when he used a form of pepper spray to fight off knife-wielding robbers Friday.

The longtime operator of Imperial Variety on Wellington Street North admitted he was scared when a hoodie-wearing man pulled the "wicked-looking" knife out of his sweater and demanded cash just after 8 p.m.

"Of course I am frightened. He had a hunting knife – a big one," said Tandon the day after the foiled robbery. "There was no time to think …I just reacted in the moment."

Tandon, who has run the corner store since 1992, also felt a queasy moment of déjà vu. He said he was robbed and stabbed in the head in 2004 at the same counter when he turned his back on two men who asked to buy cigarettes.

On Friday night, the store owner said he was "already suspicious" when two hooded men approached his counter because they had wandered in and out of the store about 10 minutes earlier, then huddled with two other males on the sidewalk outside.

Tandon said he didn't even reply when the knife-wielding man demanded cash from the register. Instead, he just grabbed a bottle of what he called "pepper spray," which he said he purchased legally at a hunting store or gun shop "years ago."

(Pepper spray is not legal to buy or use as a weapon in Canada. Less concentrated versions, however, are legally sold as bear or dog repellent.)

"I just grabbed it and sprayed at his face, then the other guy," Tandon said. "The first guy, he tried to come around the counter, so I sprayed him again. Then it finished, there was no more, so I opened the (back) door and I ran onto the street."

Tandon caught much of the incident on his security cameras. Footage viewed by The Spectator showed an approaching robber brandishing a knife, followed by puffs of gas billowing into view.

Tandon said he called for help once he reached the sidewalk – only to find nearby neighbours had been watching from their porch and had already called Hamilton police. "The police were everywhere, just like that. They caught them all," he said.

Staff Sgt. Paul Evans confirmed police discovered three men and a male youth with a large knife nearby.

Evans said the four face attempted robbery and weapons charges, but the adults cannot be identified before appearing in court.

Tandon said he felt grateful to escape the would-be robbery without injury or monetary loss – but also deflated that his actions were necessary.

In addition to his security camera system – and bottle of pepper spray – Tandon has gradually cut his night time hours and scheduled a late cleaner and shelf-stocker to try to minimize the chances of robbery.

The robbers showed up Friday about 20 minutes before his backup arrived for the night.

"I used to stay open to 10:30 p.m., now I close at 9:30," he said with a wry chuckle. "Maybe now I'll have to close earlier? I don't know."

Variety store owner Yogesh Tandon said he "just reacted in the moment" when he used a form of pepper spray to fight off knife-wielding robbers Friday.

The longtime operator of Imperial Variety on Wellington Street North admitted he was scared when a hoodie-wearing man pulled the "wicked-looking" knife out of his sweater and demanded cash just after 8 p.m.

"Of course I am frightened. He had a hunting knife – a big one," said Tandon the day after the foiled robbery. "There was no time to think …I just reacted in the moment."

Tandon, who has run the corner store since 1992, also felt a queasy moment of déjà vu. He said he was robbed and stabbed in the head in 2004 at the same counter when he turned his back on two men who asked to buy cigarettes.

On Friday night, the store owner said he was "already suspicious" when two hooded men approached his counter because they had wandered in and out of the store about 10 minutes earlier, then huddled with two other males on the sidewalk outside.

Tandon said he didn't even reply when the knife-wielding man demanded cash from the register. Instead, he just grabbed a bottle of what he called "pepper spray," which he said he purchased legally at a hunting store or gun shop "years ago."

(Pepper spray is not legal to buy or use as a weapon in Canada. Less concentrated versions, however, are legally sold as bear or dog repellent.)

"I just grabbed it and sprayed at his face, then the other guy," Tandon said. "The first guy, he tried to come around the counter, so I sprayed him again. Then it finished, there was no more, so I opened the (back) door and I ran onto the street."

Tandon caught much of the incident on his security cameras. Footage viewed by The Spectator showed an approaching robber brandishing a knife, followed by puffs of gas billowing into view.

Tandon said he called for help once he reached the sidewalk – only to find nearby neighbours had been watching from their porch and had already called Hamilton police. "The police were everywhere, just like that. They caught them all," he said.

Staff Sgt. Paul Evans confirmed police discovered three men and a male youth with a large knife nearby.

Evans said the four face attempted robbery and weapons charges, but the adults cannot be identified before appearing in court.

Tandon said he felt grateful to escape the would-be robbery without injury or monetary loss – but also deflated that his actions were necessary.

In addition to his security camera system – and bottle of pepper spray – Tandon has gradually cut his night time hours and scheduled a late cleaner and shelf-stocker to try to minimize the chances of robbery.

The robbers showed up Friday about 20 minutes before his backup arrived for the night.

"I used to stay open to 10:30 p.m., now I close at 9:30," he said with a wry chuckle. "Maybe now I'll have to close earlier? I don't know."

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Variety store owner Yogesh Tandon said he "just reacted in the moment" when he used a form of pepper spray to fight off knife-wielding robbers Friday.

The longtime operator of Imperial Variety on Wellington Street North admitted he was scared when a hoodie-wearing man pulled the "wicked-looking" knife out of his sweater and demanded cash just after 8 p.m.

"Of course I am frightened. He had a hunting knife – a big one," said Tandon the day after the foiled robbery. "There was no time to think …I just reacted in the moment."

Tandon, who has run the corner store since 1992, also felt a queasy moment of déjà vu. He said he was robbed and stabbed in the head in 2004 at the same counter when he turned his back on two men who asked to buy cigarettes.

On Friday night, the store owner said he was "already suspicious" when two hooded men approached his counter because they had wandered in and out of the store about 10 minutes earlier, then huddled with two other males on the sidewalk outside.

Tandon said he didn't even reply when the knife-wielding man demanded cash from the register. Instead, he just grabbed a bottle of what he called "pepper spray," which he said he purchased legally at a hunting store or gun shop "years ago."

(Pepper spray is not legal to buy or use as a weapon in Canada. Less concentrated versions, however, are legally sold as bear or dog repellent.)

"I just grabbed it and sprayed at his face, then the other guy," Tandon said. "The first guy, he tried to come around the counter, so I sprayed him again. Then it finished, there was no more, so I opened the (back) door and I ran onto the street."

Tandon caught much of the incident on his security cameras. Footage viewed by The Spectator showed an approaching robber brandishing a knife, followed by puffs of gas billowing into view.

Tandon said he called for help once he reached the sidewalk – only to find nearby neighbours had been watching from their porch and had already called Hamilton police. "The police were everywhere, just like that. They caught them all," he said.

Staff Sgt. Paul Evans confirmed police discovered three men and a male youth with a large knife nearby.

Evans said the four face attempted robbery and weapons charges, but the adults cannot be identified before appearing in court.

Tandon said he felt grateful to escape the would-be robbery without injury or monetary loss – but also deflated that his actions were necessary.

In addition to his security camera system – and bottle of pepper spray – Tandon has gradually cut his night time hours and scheduled a late cleaner and shelf-stocker to try to minimize the chances of robbery.

The robbers showed up Friday about 20 minutes before his backup arrived for the night.

"I used to stay open to 10:30 p.m., now I close at 9:30," he said with a wry chuckle. "Maybe now I'll have to close earlier? I don't know."